Cortland Bryce Ryan
|path = Serial Killer Serial Rapist Necrophiliac |signature = Two distinct signatures: *Crossing victims' arms over their chests post-mortem *Opening every window in victims' homes |mo = Rape Beating Post-mortem stomach puncturing |victims = 6 killed 3 intended |status = Deceased |actor = Neil Hopkins |appearance = "The Angel Maker" }} Cortland Bryce Ryan, a.k.a. "The Angel Maker", was a serial killer and serial rapist who appeared via flashbacks in the Season Four episode "The Angel Maker". Background Nothing is revealed about Ryan's early life, including why he started killing in the first place. In 1998, he started killing, eventually claiming the lives of six women over a ten-month period. Eventually, he was caught during an attempted break-in and was somehow connected to the murders. Ryan was subsequently tried, found guilty, and sentenced to death. He spent nine years on death row. During that time, he got a number of female groupies and fans, for whom, he would write poetic letters to since he, a narcissist, enjoyed the attention and had a flair for the dramatic. Among these fans were Chloe Kelcher, one of the jurors in his trial, and Shara Carlino. Ryan also made origami figures, which later reached the market for serial killer memorabilia, along with other personal belongings and even his semen and blood. All of these items were distributed by one of his guards, Sid Rutledge, who smuggled them out of the prison. On the day of his execution on September 16, 2007, there were complications when the catheter dislodged twice. In the end, it took him nearly an hour to die. Ryan's last words were: "You may think you've seen the last of me, but death cannot take me from you. I will be born again. Today you make me a legend." Chloe later obtained his semen after his death and used it to impregnate herself. When she gave birth, however, the child suffered an illness and died. The Angel Maker Exactly one year following his execution, Chloe begins a spree of copycat murders, having begun to suffer from severe psychosis at that point. Prior to starting the killing spree, she dug up Ryan's grave and took his body. Eventually, she commits suicide by cop in the end after killing three and attempting to kill a fourth. During the majority of the investigation, local authorities believed that the killings were actually the work of Cortland himself, according to a tale that he still survived his botched execution. While the BAU searched Chloe's home, they find Ryan's body in a private compartment. It is assumed that the body was reburied following Chloe's death. Profile It was mentioned Ryan targeted women who excited him sexually, and that he was a narcissist whose only real love was for himself. Since he planned on killing nine women, each one corresponding to a constellation, he was presumably a mission-oriented killer. Given the severity of the injuries he inflicted on his victims before he raped them, he may also have been a necrophiliac. Modus Operandi Ryan would sneak into the houses of single women at night while they slept. He would enter their bedrooms, beat them to death with his fists, and rape them. It is not specified whether he raped them after they were killed or if they were alive and died slowly from their injuries, but, since Chloe Kelcher, Ryan's future copycat, replaced the beatings with bludgeoning with a hammer, the first is more likely. Next, he punctured the victims' stomachs post-mortem with a screwdriver in patterns of the Heavenly Waters constellations. He then crossed their arms, hence his nickname. He also opened all of the windows in the house, which was his way of letting the victims' souls out. Real-Life Comparison Ryan seems to have been based on Kenneth Bianchi, one of the two Hillside Stranglers - Both were serial killers and serial rapists who targeted women, were given nicknames for their crimes, and were the objects of fascination and obsession of at least one woman who attempted to replicate their crimes. Both Compton and Kelcher even went as far as to acquire their semen (though for different reasons). Known Victims *1998: Killed six women within a ten-month span. They are: **January: Tina Banbury **April: Julie Pargrove **June: Natalie Evercroft **August: Annette Gratton **September: Unnamed victim **October: Unnamed victim *Note: Ryan intended to kill three other women to complete the constellations, but was apprehended and executed before he could carry out those murders. Notes *It is stated in the episode that Ryan was executed on September 16, 2007, however, the video of his final words is erroneously dated September 29. Appearances *Season Four **"The Angel Maker" Category:Criminal Minds Characters Category:Criminals Category:Serial Killers Category:Serial Rapists Category:Deceased Criminals Category:Season Four Criminals Category:Narcissists Category:Executed Criminals Category:Home Invaders